Came across a picture of Jane Carrey's newborn whilst reading the 'news' this morning. Babies are such beautiful things, aren't they. So I started drawing. First in pen, very simple line drawing as I usually do. The baby on paper then suggested (in the form of a thought bubble) we should all reset our moral compasses. That drawing remains in my sketchbook.

Then the pencil, just a quick 10min drawing:

I wonder why we were taught, since a child, to draw and represent things using lines. The objects we see, we experience through colour and shades ... not lines.

Just some photographs from my recent trip back to Malaysia. Even though it doesn't feel like it, it is home by default - I spent the first 12 years of my life there, and my family is there. I remember a teacher in high school in Singapore saying we should embrace being 'third culture kids', and I certainly see the merits of being one (although, I dislike the labelling) ... but it has its disadvantages. I won't start, though.

This post has turned out to be a little personal (unintentionally), so here are the photos:

I spent this afternoon revisiting Ricky Swallow's The Bricoleur at NGV Australia. Everytime I go back, some pieces just get more and more beautiful. Each time different pieces speak more to me than others. I suppose a large part of that is because his body of work is very personal, but universally relatable.

Like many others, I also enjoy the special little nook where books and the exhibition catalogue have been laid out, and you can read whilst listening to a selection of music that Ricky Swallow personally picked out. The musicians are ones featured in his watercolour, One Nation Underground (2007). The watercolours are quite special (one of my top picks is definitely Tim Buckley) ... an definitely made me want to pick up the brushes and start working with some watercolour.

"PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.

It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace."

Basically,youngdesigners-20imagesonPowerpoint - 20 seconds to talk about each. It is a spectacular worldwide event, in 281 (and counting) cities like St. Louis, Guangzhou, Barcelona, Bordeaux, St Petersburg etc. PechaKucha night this time around was also to raise funds for Haiti. Fantastic.

The event in Melbourne was held in 1000£ Bend on Lt Lonsdale. I've read about the newly opened cafe/bar but never actually stepped in. Such a relaxed atmosphere ... basically a spacious warehouse (painted white, timber trusses!) filled with old couches that eats you up. In other words, it sums up what is trendy in Melbourne is - derelict-chic. Perfect venue for such an event, with images projected onto the beautifully-worn, painted brickwork.

Front bit of 1000£ Bend (the warehouse is further back)

PechaKucha is a fabulous idea ... and I think we should all do something similar. Get a few of your friends together and just present and share - talk about current ideas, trends, designs, favourite buildings, illustrators ... the possibility is endless. Some vino and birra in hand, of course. A semi-formal evening to get our creative juices flowing, and most importantly (I reckon), put competitiveness behind and just share.

LTRHDS opening is on this Friday, 26th February. Interesting concept, and I can't wait to see what the artists have come up with.

What you do when your flight is delayed and have four hours to kill at the airport. It has been quite frustrating drawing-wise ... not achieving anything substantial. I am still sketching, though. It is all a bit of fun really, so I suppose I shouldn't be frustrated. Anyway, will have some free time tomorrow, so, time to draw!

(I am currently away and using a different scanner ... and the scan came out a bit funny, explaining the inconsistency in tone/shading.)

Quick, fun one. I'm sure a lot of people know this already, but I very much enjoy nerdy wordplays ... puns, alliterations, and the like. So ... here we have, the smug mugs. (Breakfast with Socrates contains a sizeable collection of clever wordplay, yet another reason to love it.)

Nothing like a Sunday afternoon spent with a coffee, some bikkies and a cool book. I picked up Breakfast with Socrates in December, started reading it and stopped reading as I entered a wonderfully serious affair with Alan Bennett's wonderful play and autobiography. I've always wanted to know more about philosophy, having studied and learned bits and pieces of Derrida, Foucault and back in high school History Extension (history nerd alert!). To be perfectly honest, philosophy is intimidating and their texts not always easily understood. Breakfast with Socrates is an easy introduction and sort of ... philosophy injected into and analysed in everyday mundane tasks. I can already hear philosophy students and the like cringing (you snobs!) ... but this book is very much accessible to the general public who wishes to know a little bit more.

This is a renovation of a workshop and its garden by Ecuadorian architect firm Daniel Moreno -to clean up and create a light-filled space for the organisation and storage of materials. I absolutely love the use such humble yet visually powerful materials - steel reinforcement bars, timber logs and its manipulation of the notion of surface. My future conservatory?